Round Rock Stops Rushing Graffiti Victims and Offers Free Cleanup
Round Rock's council gave property owners 15 days instead of 72 hours to remove graffiti, with free cleanup in the first week. Police say tagging is rising on SH 45 and I-35 bridges.
When someone spray-paints your fence, you are the one who got wronged. Round Rock's city council has written that idea into policy.
On Oct. 8, the council approved an update that gives property owners 15 days to remove graffiti instead of 72 hours, Community Impact reported. The change also lets the city's Neighborhood Services department handle graffiti cases. Until now that job belonged to the chief of police.
Free help in the first week
Residents and business owners can get the graffiti removed free during the first 7 days after their property is defaced. Neighborhood Services Director Joe Brehm told Community Impact the work could mean power washing, paint-removing solvents or painting over the marks. He said his staff tries to avoid painting over because it is hard to truly match the original paint.
The city is legally allowed to put a lien on a property where the graffiti is never removed. Brehm said that is not what his department is after.
"Property owners are the victims of graffiti," Brehm said. "We don't really want to pile onto that with any financial penalties. We just want the graffiti gone and clean."
Why now
Police Chief Allen Banks said graffiti is increasing in the city. He pointed especially to the SH 45 and I-35 bridges in south Round Rock, as well as private property. "We're trying to ... get on top of it as quickly as possible," Banks said.
How to report it
The city's graffiti page asks residents to email [email protected]. Include the address and exactly where the paint is on the property, such as a fence or a utility box. An orange dot on graffiti means it has already been reported and city staff are working to remove it. The police non-emergency line is 512-218-5500.
That page still says the police department leads graffiti cleanup with help from Parks and Recreation. It may not yet reflect the council's change, so check with Neighborhood Services if you are unsure who to call.
A sensible change
This is the kind of small fix local government ought to make more often. Seventy-two hours is not much time for a working family or a small business owner who wakes up to tagging they never asked for. Giving the victim two weeks and a free first cleanup puts the burden where it belongs: on getting the vandalism off the wall, not on the person whose wall it is.
Hero photo: Billy Hathorn / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 (license).
